@-->-- :::.. take it easy ..::: --<--@

[Samantha42]

Originally Posted by BigStud72

WOW! I'm so happy for you Sam! Congrats on the weight loss over the weekend trip home. Also, congrats on facing a hard fact that most people, me included, are guilty of. You've realized that YOU control your life and YOU can choose when and when not to do things. I can certainly empathize about going out into public and seeing someone you know. Before Christmas, a very good friend of mine passed away and I went to the funeral. I saw several friends from high school, and for some of these people it had been years since I had seen them. I dreaded seeing them, but what can you do? Exactly what you said! I decided then and there that it was finally time for me to lose the weight for good. I understand now that LC is a lifestyle and not a diet. Choices have to be made and when you make a bad one, or a wrong one, you can't beat yourself up... you've got to get right back on that horse.

You should be very proud of yourself! And by the way you are very attractive and shouldn't be ashamed to go into public at home.

I'm glad you had the epiphany, too, and let it motivate you!!! You are doing such a great job. And you're right, I need to stop beating myself up over every little thing. But I also need to focus and try harder. Will I ever reach the happy medium

Steph-- Let's do this together!!!! You have already done amazing!! Let's make April a deep ketosis, no cheats, no minicheats, just serious work and see how quickly our bodies choose to lose weight. See, September is so far away now!! You can be at goal over the summer!!! Just imagine!

[Samantha42]

and PS weight 187.4 !!! new low for the past few months (though at the beginning of the year I was close to 180, oh well!)

[courtneyallison1]

Hey Sam, Stud and Steph!
I am right there with you on the mental note... WHEN I lose my weight I always say... I have a designer jeans fetish. I own over 30 pair. Some of which used to fit me, most of which I have bought to motivate me. I always picture myself in my cute jeans like I used to wear a few years back... BUT I never get far enough in my weight loss to wear them. I will get down enough to go down a size but its not a COMFY fit and I am SO uncomfy wearing them! It SUCKS. I always whip out the jeans and hang them on the wall or somewhere I will see them everyday. THEN I end up getting used to them being there... I forget about them and I get down on my weight loss. I give up knowing that no matter what DH loves me and that's all that should matter, right? WRONG!!! I need to love myself. I need to hang a different pair of jeans every week! MORE IMPORTANTLY I need to keep in touch with my living "jeans" every day. You all. You are my jeans, my skinny clothes, my fire. I need you all to keep me going! Thank god for all of you! You are so inspirational! I am SOOOO happy to have found you all and have you in my life.
So whatever motivates you, keep it going. I personally plan to take an outfit out every week and hang it up so I don't lose focus and say "Ah screw that pair of jeans. They aren't that important to me." I have a whole closet full of skinny clothes. Therefore, I need to change it up but changing out the outfits every week to keep my fire rekindled.

Steph, I too plan to stay in ketosis. No more beer on the weekends. No more free days. I need to be thin more than I need to give in. Hey that should be my new sig. So lets make a pact to stay in there together. We have each others email addys, Sam and Steph, in a moment of weakness lets think of each other. You are the angels on my shoulder! Let's stay accountable to each other and remember that we can all do this together!

Love yas!

Have a great day!

[courtneyallison1]

PS Sam,
AWESOME on this weekend, your weight loss and your incredible strength! YOU are an inspiration!

[BigStud72]

Originally Posted by Samantha42

and PS weight 187.4 !!! new low for the past few months (though at the beginning of the year I was close to 180, oh well!)

Happy dance!

Way to go Sam, keep it going! YOU CAN DO THIS!

[BigStud72]

Originally Posted by courtneyallison1

PS Sam,
AWESOME on this weekend, your weight loss and your incredible strength! YOU are an inspiration!

By the way Kylie is ADORABLE! You should be so proud!

[courtneyallison1]

Originally Posted by BigStud72

By the way Kylie is ADORABLE! You should be so proud!

Thanks Big Stud! She is so much fun. Such a happy good girl, we are proud! KUTGW, Stud! We can do this!

[courtneyallison1]

OK Sam,
Sooooo here is a little info on Chocolate from Endangered Species Chocolate Bars! Your theory isnt as far fetched as you thought! Chocolate = Increased Blood Flow to the brain and much more! Read below:

The Health Benefits of Chocolate
Who thought that chocolate would be healthy? There are constant studies being done all over the world that says just that. Dark Chocolate contains flavanoids that help blood vessels work more smoothly, perhaps reducing the risk of heart disease. Chocolate also acts as a powerful antioxidant, reducing dangerous free radicals at a higher rate than vitamin C or green tea.

For the Body...

With chocolate, higher cocoa content equals more flavonoids. Thus, dark chocolate has the ability to act as a powerful antioxidant.
All-natural foods, like Endangered Species Chocolate products, reduce the amount of toxic chemicals, food additives and colorings ingested. All-natural products contain no genetically modified organisms and increase the amount of beneficial vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and antioxidants consumed.
In addition, researchers coupled studies of platelet function in humans with in vitro studies with highly purified flavonols from cocoa. The results of these studies support that cocoa flavonols may have beneficial effects on platelets and that certain flavonols and flavonol-rich cocoa itself may also reduce the cascade of events that can lead to vascular damage.

For the Heart...

A growing body of research, including a study by the American Heart Association, shows that flavonoids found in chocolate - especially dark chocolate can help blood vessels work more smoothly, inhibit blood clot formation, improve how the body uses insulin and reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or "bad cholesterol."
A new study suggests chocolate may help repair aging blood vessels in adults.
Two independent studies, one in a healthy elderly population and another in young healthy women, demonstrate that the consumption of flavonol-rich cocoa can increase blood flow to the brain, according to the Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology, in a supplement that focuses on the potential health benefits of flavonol-rich cocoa.


For the Soul...

Chocolate also contains a substance called phenylethylamine, which stimulates the nervous system and marginally increases blood pressure and heart rate. The reaction is suspected to closely mimic the feelings when a person is "in love."
At Endangered Species Chocolate, we use only the finest all-natural ingredients to create our exceptionally delicious chocolate. Just as important, we see chocolate as a powerful medium for change by donating 10% of our net profits to help support species, habitat and humanity...it's PASSION WIITH PURPOSE.

[Samantha42]

Courtney-- Yes! See, I knew that chocolate made me feel like I was high on something! I didn't know that it is supposed to be a better antioxidant than green tea-- that's incredible! I'm glad I get the very high % one. One good thing about my chocolate is that because it can make me feel jittery I won't allow myself to eat it after 2 or 3pm. I hate not being able to fall asleep. So I am able to control when or how much I eat out of fear that it will mess up my sleep cycles

I'm glad that you find LCF to be motivational, and especially that you find me personally to be motivating! I find you motivating too I also am trying to watch calories but will keep eating the coconut oil because I think the benefits outweigh the extra calories. I ALSO was in a total brain fog all day today because of benadryl I took last night! Seriously, I could be writing your posts!

About the jeans you hang and then forget about, I DO THAT ALL THE TIME!!! Only with me it isn't jeans, per se, it's other things. For example, my mom will buy me a bracelet and I will tell myself "as long as I am wearing this bracelet I will not cheat, in honor of my mother". Within 3 hours I forget I'm even wearing the bracelet, nonetheless what the bracelet was supposed to STAND FOR!! It's like nothing I did was motivating enough.

And now that I have found a new sense of motivation, I am seeing myself fall into that slightly obsessive weightloss mode. Part of me thinks I overdo it, that I'm too critical about everything I eat and drink, and that I beat myself up too easily. But on the other hand, the first time I lost weight doing LC I was OBSESSIVE. Possibly borderline eating disorder, and I HAD to workout everyday or I felt unwhole and angry. Though it was a bit too much at the time, I WANT to be obsessed like that again. I WANT to push myself as hard as I comfortably can because THAT is the only way I am going to lose weight. I have tried the "eh, I'm going to do this at the rate it happens" and then I stop thinking about what I really should be doing to MAKE it happen.

I want to make it happen this time!!!


No more seconds, no more eating just to eat, no more big salads, no more nuts! Just LC, somewhat lowcal, with a higher % of calories from fat. Fat is my friend! And that's why, Courtney (can I call you court?), that's why I think you should still eat coconut oil. It will make you feel good inside and out Man I'm in love with the stuff!

Steph--You, Me and Courtney (kinda sounds like You Me and Dupree) are going to do this together!! We should start a 3-way emailing system, or just post in eachother's journals like this. Just knowing you guys are watching over me and wanting me to succeed gives me even more motivation to keep pushing myself (like right now, when I want seconds, but WONT get more!).

Stud-- as always, you are TOO kind It's sad when we don't feel like we can go out in public, and actually, one of my biggest fears is that a death/funeral will FORCE me to see all these people from highschool. It is one of my motivating forces, because I think it would be horrible if I had to go to a funeral and mourn the death of someone I loved while secretly (and very selfishly) just thinking about myself and how I look too fat to be at the funeral. But I know I would do just that.... and I don't ever want to be in that situation. So I commend you for holding your head up high and being so motivated by it.



I have me a feeling that tomorrow I will have lost weight Since I just weighed with my clothes on (before dinner) and was 189ish. Hopefully that means tomorrow I will be in the 186s. It's amazing how such a little change can have such a profound effect. It's also amazing how relative everything is. 5 months ago I would have wanted to vomit if I saw I was 186 (when I was 175), and now I am so happy about it! On the same token, when I'm 160 I will be SO SO SO happy, even though when I was GAINING weight like a madwoman, 160 seemed like I was officially morbidly obese.

Oh man, how I wish I could go back in the past and change things, but what can you do about it now?

Just plugging ahead and thinking about how this summer and skinny are going to happen Haha .... I mean, how I'm going to MAKE them happen.

[courtneyallison1]

You sing it sister! Lets all make it a point to post in each others journals daily to motivate each other. The days that I didnt post I noticed were the days I SCREWED up. So let's go girls!
So far so good. I planned to do Lower Body and an hour of Treadmill work. I so far got in an hour and a half, I just pushed myself to go the extra half hour. After dinner I will do my Upper Body workout instead of lower today since I always seem so sore for the rest of the week after a lower body workout.
I feel great. Not dinner time yet and i am not even hungry.

So then... I had some Orange Blossom Yerba Mate with a tsp of CO mixed in. It was SUPRISINGLY good. So I will make it a point to do that daily so I can get in my CO when I don't feel like taking it plain. It tastes yummy but its a mental thing you know?

So girls, how did we do today? Feel free to check out my journal!

[Samantha42]

Originally Posted by courtneyallison1

You sing it sister! Lets all make it a point to post in each others journals daily to motivate each other. The days that I didnt post I noticed were the days I SCREWED up. So let's go girls!
So far so good. I planned to do Lower Body and an hour of Treadmill work. I so far got in an hour and a half, I just pushed myself to go the extra half hour. After dinner I will do my Upper Body workout instead of lower today since I always seem so sore for the rest of the week after a lower body workout.
I feel great. Not dinner time yet and i am not even hungry.

So then... I had some Orange Blossom Yerba Mate with a tsp of CO mixed in. It was SUPRISINGLY good. So I will make it a point to do that daily so I can get in my CO when I don't feel like taking it plain. It tastes yummy but its a mental thing you know?

So girls, how did we do today? Feel free to check out my journal!

You got it!!! Also-- how is the Krill oil? I know Mercola loveslovesloves it, but I never ordered it. What does it do for you, same as cod liver oil?

Geez we are so alike! We even weigh the same, LOL. I am going to check your journal everyday so don't forget to post!

Steph-- do you have a journal here?

[sweetie_pie]

Hi ladies (& big stud!)

So sorry.... it's late, and I just thought I'd check in quick, and you have been chatting up a storm!!! I promise I will check back tomorrow, as soon as the little one's down for a nap. If I don't go to bed soon, I'll be a wreck tomorrow!

I'm definitely IN! I'm so glad you both are so motivated, because you have me totally psyched now to keep going. April is going to be the month I slip out of the 200's..... haven't been that low since I got engaged. Can't wait !!!

Way to go Sam on your loss !!! Wow, am I ever proud of you. I think both you & Courtney's pics are already beautiful... you guys are going to be STUNNING when you get to goal !

OK - I could chat on here all night. Got to get my butt in bed. Oh, no I don't have a journal. Maybe I will think about starting one .... hmmm.... we'll see. For now I'll just make sure I check in with you guys each day, and if I have a meltdown pm you.

Thanks for the pep talk before bed- I can't wait to face tomorrow !

xox

[courtneyallison1]

OK Steph! Glad to see you are IN!!! WOO HOO! I was thinking of how great it would be if we all met someday when we got to our goal! We could all get to goal and write in to Woman's World or something cheesy like that and talk about how we motivated each other over the net with thousands of miles between us and we made it! Let's think of the EVEN BIGGER picture! If your mind can conceive it then you can achieve it!
Steph, you CAN and WILL get to 190's this month! I can just FEEL it!

Sam, the Krill Oil... Hmm.... I take so many things that I can't pinpoint anything but I figured if Dr. Mercola loved it so much then I would give it a try. Anything that will help me to have a greater memory in the future is a plus to me since my Dad's side of the fam suffers from Alzheimer's and so on. I know Chlorella is also great for that. BUT I always feel like my mind is foggy due to having so much to do all the time, and all that. I think it is a great supplement though as I have had no side effects and the benefits are worth it in the longer run!

Well ladies! Talk at ya tomorrow! I heart you guys! Night night!

[Samantha42]

Steph&Court--

I think you have a great plan, Court!!! I have always wanted to have a "real life" low carb friend! It would be so fun to get to goal together and then meet-- plan some fun excursion somewhere nice

And Steph, YOUR picture is gorgeous! I think the 3 of us would make a cute bunch on the cover of Woman's World (or People, while we're at it ) You are going to be in the 100s very SOON! Remember, it's up to YOU, for the most part, you can do it!

Court-- when I used to see Dr. Mercola I was a supplement nut I drank the chlorella, the probiotics, the cod liver oil, the detoxisodes-- we used to joke that I was his #1 patient. I spent a fortune at that place. There were some things I didn't like about him, though-- one day I'll tell all! The practice began to feel a bit gimmike (sp?), with a lot of super-alternative things going on, and a lot of things you felt you had to buy. I did take his advice though and get my mercury amalgams replaced from my teeth via an amazing dentist he knows. I have also adopted a lot of more natural things (natural toothpaste, deodorant, no perfume), simple things that I can live with. There were some things I just couldn't live with comfortably that he advocates (bed super early, stomaching codliver oil, water filters everywhere). Natural is expensive!



I was 186.6 today, so down .8 from yesterday. I tried to have completely unsweetened chocolate today in place of my 85% and I added some stevia to it. It was SO bitter and disgusting, I could hardly eat any of it! So I had probably about 1.5 eggs and then called it quits. A new form of appetite suppression: eat disgusting and bitter foods!

Anyhow, I'm off to class for a 1/2 day, both you guys are doing M/E, right?? I wish you luck!! Let's aim to lose a lb today! For you guys not in ketosis that should be easy

[courtneyallison1]

Woo hoo! That is so awesome that you are down again! I too, am back down from that 3# fluctuation from yesterday morning. I think it was water weight. I am super excited to try this M/E fast with support! I am not getting back on the scale until Friday morning. I know I can do that, right? I have a scale addiction so I HOPE I can!
Steph, don't beat yourself up about last night! Wre are here for you and you can do this! Lean on me... That's what friends are for!

Yeah I know what you mean Sam about Dr. Mercola... I try to implement as much as I can and figure that I am a better person in the long run but to live his lifestyle is virtually IMPOSSIBLE unless you are a complete fanatic. Most of my family and friends already think I am fanatical and I am not even close. You are right, natural IS expensive. So basically if we do what we can then we are better for it in the long run. I do many cleanses, and all that stuff already - I did them prior to him. I need to do another few for my liver, kidneys and to try the candida which I am not sure if I even need. I used Dr. Natura for the Colon and for me it didn't work. They had such great testimonials on their site I thought for sure I would have the same results. Maybe I wasn't as clogged as I had hoped...

Well girls! Lets GO! We will win this battle! SOONER than Later! Summer is right around the corner!!!

[sweetie_pie]

You guys are tooooooo funny......... Thanks for putting a big smile on my face !!! I had to convince my hubby that I don't have an 'online boyfriend ' -he was wondering who I chat with every night after he heads to bed! lol !

I can't even fathom adding all the supplements that you both are doing. It's all I can do to just cook my bbq chicken & keep the fridge stocked with LC things so that I don't go out & eat junk ! But, I am so thrilled that the changes I have made have seemed to stick for almost 4 months now. That's definitely a new record for me! I know that I couldn't do this alone. Your support gives me the boost that I need each day. Plus, I can't let you guys down! This time I feel likeif I fall off the wagon, I'm going to make you guys fall, too, and that's incentive to keep on going !

This morning I had a half a chicken breast for b-fast, and then a little hamburger cass for lunch. Probably a sausage for dinner. I know I should leave the hamb casserole & sausage, but they are what's in my freezer, and I can't do grocery shopping until Thurs! I know I will still get into ketosis as long as I keep up with the tea, and stop eating after dinner.

I think I'm going to aim to post new pics at the beginning of each month. I'm keeping that in mind, & it has been motivating me today.

Court - I know what you were saying about the jeans !!! I've got soooo many pairs.. it's ridiculous! Funny, it seems like when I get down a size, that's the first thing that I'm so excited to buy. I guess it's the way we live - I live in jeans just about every day! Right now I'm wearing a size 14 pair that I found in my closet about a week ago. When I first bought them, they were really tight, but I squeezed into them & wore them once or twice. When I found them last week, I thought "There's no way they'll fit", and when I put them on, they fit perfectly for the first time !!! Ah, what a
wonderful moment that was!

You ladies just keep on going. (And you too, big Stud! I don't want to leave you out !!) I'm so excited to see how you all do on the 3 day fast! I think it's the kick in the butt that we all needed.

Hugs to you both -----

[sweetie_pie]

Oh Sam - I totally forgot to say

CONGRATS ON THE 0.8 LOSS !!!!! YAY !!!!!

[courtneyallison1]

Steph!
That is SOOOO great about the jeans! Is that not the best feeling or WHAT?!?!?! How fun! It is so great to have you guys and I am looking forward to weighing in this Friday! I cannot wait. So far I have not gotten on the scale today - GOOD FO' ME!!! You will get there Steph! Just stay focused. Which it seems that you really are! Also, a great way to START adding supplements in is focus on what really matters to you. Say, lean muscle mass or something. Do research on supplements for that topic, say it comes up with CLA. Then incorporate an new supplement once a month until you have what matters to you in your diet. They really do wor wonders. The coconut oil itself helps stop sweet cravings and Yerba Mate tea does the same but it is LOADED with a TON of B and C Vitamins, Calcium and Anti-Oxidants... Just a couple tips...
If you are ever bored, go to www.mercola.com and look at topics he has listed on there that are a concern to you. After all, we are in this to look good, but more importantly to improve the quality and years of our lives!

[daisymaiz]

Hey--I just read your long post from a couple days ago, about going home-
Thank you for posting that. I could identify with a lot of it.

And CONGRATULATIONS, it sounds like you are doing great!!

[Samantha42]

Have I told you guys lately that I you??

When I see new entries posted in my journal and I get so excited! I love having personal messages-- I have been a part of many challenges that just got so cumbersome with so many people it felt like a generic thread. Like I was anonymous!

Court-- how come you won't weigh?? With a 3 lb weight loss last night, I'd think you wanted to weight everyday! That's amazing! Summer IS just around the corner, it's a scary thought!

Steph-- post pics post pics post pics!!! Pretty please! I love seeing pics of people!!! Especially cuuute people Lol. Post them here! I don't really take very many supplements now! Just my meds (thyroid), coconut oil... things like cinnamon, dark chocolate..... I use food instead of supplements for vitamins and such.

Daisy-- thanks! How are you doing? Did today go better than the past few days?

I wore a new pair of jeans today (size 13, stretch), and I felt so good in them that I wore heels and a sweater to school (vs. flats, sweats, etc). I felt like I wasn't retaining any water and everything was just smoother, flatter. I got a compliment from a friend on how my jeans flattered my body&butt... but it totally isn't the jeans It's just my deep ketosis. Just a few days and about 4 lbs, but I feel like I lost 15. I can suck in my tummy better. Best feeling ever! (Let that be motivation guys, the water weight is the worst!!!). I am worried now that my losses will slow. This is usually the point where I get stuck-- where I feel good, I get compliments, I relax a little bit, and then bam... I'm bingeing, up 5 lbs..... with no end in sight.

I'm trying to make minigoals for every week. I know if I don't make them it's ok, life will go on. Any weightloss is good weightloss. But my goal is to try and lose 3 lbs a week until summer I'm pretty fat, so I think that should be possible My goal for Monday is to be 183.... Really, anything closer to the 170s would be grrrrreat!